http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 hails bowlers for comfortable win - Cricket News Update
The triumphant Australian skipper, Michael Clarke, was full of praise for his bowlers after his side clinched an unassailable 3-1 series lead against Sri Lanka with a five-wicket victory at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Saturday.
"The character the boys showed in conditions that were as hot as I've experienced in any ODI around the world and to put in that kind of performance with the ball [was great],” said Clarke while talking to the media reporters
after the five-wicket win at Colombo.
The tourists bundled Sri Lanka out for just 132 inside 39 overs before Shaun http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978 put Australia in the driver’s seat with a 97-run partnership for the third-wicket. Eight of the Sri Lankan batsmen fell for
single digit scores. The only noticeable performance with the bat from the hosts was http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397, who scored a painstaking 53 off 102 balls.
The 30-year-old New South Wales al-rounder said that the bowlers delivered with good discipline and in the right areas, adding that patience was key to their success.
"We didn't get wickets at the start of their innings but we bowled with really good discipline and in good areas,” said http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-South-Wales-c823 skipper.
“The wicket was a little bit two-paced and I thought our patience was the key with the ball today. It's been a key to our success over here; we've got Sri Lanka out on three occasions," he added further.
The left-arm spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SR-Watson-c2558 returned with one wicket apiece.
Clarke praised Marsh and Doherty for their dazzling performance with the bat and the ball respectively.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SE-Marsh-c2470 played outstandingly and chased those runs down on his own in those conditions," Clarke said. "X is a very hard marker on himself and he's done a magnificent job for us," he added further.
Clarke said that if Doherty remained consistent with the kind of bowling he bowled on Saturday, he will be soon playing Test cricket as well.
The fifth and the last ODI of the series will be played at the same R Premadasa Stadium on Monday, August 22.
Tags: